Bunyan's Awakening Works Author:John Bunyan Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. WHAT THE SOUL IS. The first observation, or truth, drawn from the words is cleared by the text, " What shall a man give in exchange for his sou... more »l 1"—that is, there is not any thing, nor all the things under heaven, were they all in one man's hand, and all at his disposal, that would go in exchange for the soul, that would be of value to fetch back one lost soul, or that would certainly recover it from the confines of hell. " For the redemption of the soul is precious, and it ceaseth for sver." Psalm xlix. 8. And what saith the words before the text but the same—" For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ?" What nhall profit a man that has lost his soul ? Nothing at all, though he hath by that loss gained the whole world; for all the world is not worth a soul, not worth a soul in the eye of God and judgment of the law. And it is from this consideration that good Elihu cautioneth Job to take heed. " Because there is wrath, beware, lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Will he esteem thy riches ? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength." Job xxxvi. 18, 19. Eiches and power, what is there more in the world ? for money answereth all things —that is, all but soul-concerns. It can neither be a price for souls while here, nor can that, with all the forces of strength, recover one out of hell-fire. So, then, the first truth drawn from the words stands firm —namely, That The Loss Of The Soul is The Highest, THE GREATEST LOSS ; A LOSS THAT CAN NEVER BE REPAIRED OR MADE UP. WHAT THE SOUL IS. 27 In my discourse upon this subject I shall observe this method— I. I shall show you what the Soul is. II. I shall show you the Greatness of the Soul. III. I shall show you...« less